New Build at Lanes Cottage Winterbourne Bassett Wiltshire

Archaeological Watching Brief

for Mr AJ Iles

CA Project: 5838 CA Report: 16235

May 2016

New Build at Lanes Cottage Winterbourne Bassett Wiltshire

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 5838 CA Report: 16235

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by A 03/05/16 Ray Holt Internal review

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 3

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 5

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 6

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) ...... 6

6. THE FINDS ...... 7

8. DISCUSSION ...... 7

9. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 7

10. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 9

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...... 10

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 11

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:500). Fig. 3 Section (1:10)

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett Location: Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire NGR: SU 09623 75235 Type: Watching Brief Date: 29 April 2016 Planning Reference: 15/12796/FUL Location of Archive: To be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes Site Code: LCW 16

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the replacement of an existing dwelling, the relocation of a garage and associated landscaping at Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire.

The watching brief revealed a post-medieval ditch within the area of observed groundworks.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In April 2016 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for Mr AJ Iles at Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire (centred on NGR: SU 09623 75235; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent for the replacement of an existing dwelling, the relocation of a garage and associated landscaping (Planning ref: 15/12796/FUL, condition 10).

1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with the condition for a programme of archaeological work, in the form of a watching brief recommended by Rachel Foster, Assistant County Archaeologist, Wiltshire Council (ACAWC), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2016) and approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Rachel Foster. The fieldwork also followed Standard and guidance: Archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014). It was monitored by Rachel Foster.

The site

1.3 The site lies at approximately 180m AOD and is broadly level. It is bounded by an unnamed lane to the north-east and by farmland to the south, west and south-east. (Fig. 2).

1.4 The proposed development area is approximately 0.32ha in extent, and comprises an existing cottage and its grounds.

1.5 The underlying bedrock geology of the area is mapped as West Melbury Chalk Formation and Zig Zag Chalk Formation (undifferentiated) of the Cretaceous Period (BGS 2016). No superficial deposits are recorded. The natural substrate encountered on site consisted of yellowish grey clay overlying chalk bedrock.

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 Part of the site had been subject to an archaeological watching brief during the construction of a detached garage (JW Archaeology Services (JWAS) 2009). The

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

nearby area had also been subject to archaeological desk based assessment in relation to a planning application for a nearby property (Absolute Archaeology (AA) 2014). The following summary is taken from these documents, supplemented by publically available information pertinent to the site.

Prehistoric 2.2 Although there was no recorded evidence of prehistoric activity within the site itself, the wider area is known to be rich in prehistoric archaeological remains with the World Heritage Site of Avebury lying some 5km to the south and the

archaeologically rich Marlborough Downs lying some 2km to the east. Evidence of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic activity in the area is limited to the chance finding of stone tools. These include a Palaeolithic handaxe associated with quantities of proposed eoliths, identified c. 620m to the east of the site, and a Mesolithic microlith, blade core and a cupped pebble identified c. 275m to the south-east of the site (AA 2014).

2.3 A focus of Neolithic activity is evident from the presence of a stone circle, located approximately 400m to the north-west of the site. The stone circle was first recorded by Stukeley in 1793 and was originally of double concentric form with an outer circle measuring 71m in diameter with an inner circle of 45m, surrounding a single central stone (ibid.). A number of round barrows or suspected round barrows have been identified within the wider landscape around the site and these are likely to represent Neolithic and/or Bronze Age activity. The closest of these is located approximately 30m to the east of the site.

Roman 2.4 No recorded evidence for Romano British activity exists within the proposed development area. In the wider area, recorded Roman activity is limited to small quantities of Roman pottery and roof tile fragments found during an evaluation at St Katherine and St Peter’s Church, approximately 400m to the south-east of the site and a metal detectorist find of a buckle c. 1km to the south east of the site (AA 2014).

Medieval and Post-medieval 2.5 The proposed development area is located c. 350m to the north-west of the medieval core of Winterbourne Bassett, which is centred on St Katherine and St Peter’s Church. An archaeological watching brief at the church has confirmed the

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

presence of medieval deposits, including a pit that has been cut by the church foundations, which date from the mid-13th century. The pottery recovered from the fill of the pit dates to the 11th or 12th centuries, possibly relating the pit to an earlier phase of church construction on the site (CA 2012). Medieval earthworks, including a holloway and two crofts, have also been recorded in the village (AA 2014). The existing village has seen little expansion outside of the original medieval footprint and no other finds or features of medieval date are recorded from within the village bounds, which in part can be explained by minimal development (ibid.).

2.6 The present cottage on the site was originally a pair of 18th-century farm workers cottages, with associated gardens. These were converted into a single, extended dwelling during the mid-20th century (JWAS 2009).

2.7 A watching brief, undertaken in 2009 (JWAS 2009) during the construction of a detached garage on the site revealed no features or deposits of archaeological interest but did recover quantities of unstratified 19th and 20th century pottery and building material.

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The objectives of the archaeological works were:

 to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development groundworks;

 at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2016). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the stripping of the footprint of the new dwelling (Fig. 2).

4.2 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.

4.3 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes, along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix C will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3)

5.1 The natural geological substrate (102) consisting of yellowish grey clay, was revealed throughout the stripped area at an average depth of 0.8m below present ground level (BPGL), a sondage in the eastern corner of the trench revealed chalk bedrock (105), beneath clay 102 at a depth of approximately 1.3m BPGL. The natural clay was overlain by yellowish grey silty clay subsoil (101) averaging 0.5m in thickness, which was in turn sealed by up to 0.5m of dark brown sandy clay garden soil (100).

5.2 A north-west/south-east aligned ditch 103 was revealed in the southern part of the trench. Measuring 1.0m in width and 0.35m in depth, cut through subsoil 101, the ditch contained single brownish grey clay fill 104 from which was recovered three sherds of 19th century pottery and fragments of ceramic building material (Fig. 3, section AA).

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

6. THE FINDS

6.1 Finds.

Pottery 6.2

Ceramic Building Material (CBM) 6.3

8. DISCUSSION

8.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological background above); the watching brief only identified a post-medieval ditch within the area of observed groundworks. The absence of additional archaeological deposits may indicate that the surrounding prehistoric activity either did not extend into or was not exposed by the development, or that it may have been removed during activity associated with the 18th-century farm workers cottages and gardens.

9. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Ray Holt. The report was written by Ray Holt. The finds report was written by CA Archaeologist. The illustrations were prepared by Rosanna Price. The archive has been compiled by Ray Holt, and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Steve Sheldon.

10. REFERENCES

AA (Absolute Archaeology LLP) 2014 Land at Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment. Project Ref: AARC162/14/DBA

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2016 Geology of Britain Viewer http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geology viewer_google/googleviewer.html Accessed 15 March 2016

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 St Katharine and St Peter’s Church, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief, CA Report No. 12157

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 New Build at Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

JWAS (JW Archaeology Services) 2009 Report on the findings of an Archaeological Watching Brief at Lanes Cottage, High Street, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire, Document Ref: JWAS 0070

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Context Type Fill of Context Description L (m) W Depth Spot-date No. No. interpretation (m) /thick ness (m) 1 100 Layer topsoil Dark brown sandy clay 0.5 1 101 Layer subsoil Mid yellowish grey silty clay 0.5 1 102 Deposit natural Yellowish grey clay n/a 1 103 Cut ditch North-west/south-east 1.0 0.35 aligned ditch, moderate sloping sides to a rounded base 1 104 Fill 103 fill Brownish grey clay 1.0 0.35 1 105 Deposit natural Chalk bedrock n/a

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

The Finds team will paste their edited and approved finds tables here, if required.

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name New Build at Lanes Cottage Winterbourne Bassett Wiltshire Short description An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the replacement of an existing dwelling, the relocation of a garage and associated landscaping at Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire.

The watching brief revealed a post-medieval ditch within the area of observed groundworks. Project dates 29/04/16 Project type Watching brief

Previous work JWAS (JW Archaeology Services) 2009 Report on the findings of an Archaeological Watching Brief at Lanes Cottage, High Street, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire, Document Ref: JWAS 0070 Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location New Build at Lanes Cottage Winterbourne Bassett Wiltshire Study area (M2/ha) 0.32ha Site co-ordinates SU 09623 75235

PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator None Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Steve Sheldon Project Supervisor Ray Holt MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (e.g. pottery, (museum/Accession no.) animal bone etc)

Physical Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes Creamics, ceramic building matrial Paper Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes Trench Sheet Digital Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes Digital photos BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2016 New Build at Lanes Cottage, Winterbourne Bassett, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief. CA typescript report 16235